I threw together this visual representation of the standing in the AL and NL East divisions at the 2009 and 2008 season mid-points. The x axis represents 2009, while the y axis represents 2008.

Despite all the chatter about the Mets’ misfortune, the standings in their division from 2008 to 2009 have changed remarkably little. The Nationals are still the odd men out, while the other four all remain right in the thick of things. If we put the Toronto Blue Jays in the NL East, they would become a legitimate contender for first place.

On the AL side, the Bombers are performing a few games better, while Boston has roughly the same (perhaps exactly) win total. Last year, the Rays were in first place at this point, but a few lost games count for a lot in this division.

Since 2002, the MLB All-Star Game has determined home field advantage for the Fall Classic, making logical player selections ever more crucial. Since 1988, the team that played Game 1 at home would go on to win fifteen out of twenty times. Incorporating the fans vote is a tried and true business method on the part of the MLB, giving people a say in the lineups, but with repercussions extending from July into October, it is not necessarily the most accurate way to determine All-Stars. Expectedly, fans most often get caught up in past triumphant years and team loyalties.

For the most part, granted, the fans made good choices of starters, but a few selections stand out as simply absurd. How many GMs and other executives would have chosen Josh Hamilton to start (or even join the team)? Yes, he had a tremendous 2008 campaign and entertained at the Home Run Derby, but this a man who has missed roughly half the season to date, and even in games he did participate in, failed to contribute at the elite level expected of All-Stars. Hamilton has hit at a ghastly level of .248/.299/.436 through 41 games, yet is starting ahead of the legitimate All-Stars in Carl Crawford (.310/.368/.400, 44 SB), Torii Hunter (.305/.380/.558, 65 RBI), and Ben Zobrist (.293/.413/.599).

On the National League side, the list of faux All-Stars extends, with Yadier Molina starting things off. We can all agree he is one of the best defensive catchers, if not the best defensive catcher, in the game today. An inspection of his offensive statistics shows that he has batted decently at .280/.350/.384, but not near an All-Star level. But given that this year’s exhibition is being played at his home park, we will let it pass.

The selection of David Wright is not accurate in the least, in my view, despite having the eighth best batting average in the NL. He is hitting twenty points better than last year, but is on pace to hit nine homers and drive in 81 runs, a far cry from his 33 HR, 124 RBI campaign in 2008.

In spite of all this, Wright made the team ahead of the 22-year old infielder/batting phenom Pablo Sandoval, who despite limited name recognition, has put together an exceptional offensive year, far better than the former. With the San Francisco Giants having reached the exact middle of the season, Sandoval is hitting .334/.387/.583, despite his free-swinging ways, and is on pace to break the century mark in RBIs and register 29 home runs. In other words, he is not just hitting more than Wright, he is hitting harder than Wright.

Much of the illogicalities and questionable integrity of voting, however, are not represented on the lineup cards Charlie Manuel, with Joe Torre and Tony LaRussa, and Joe Maddon, with Trey Hillman and Don Wakamatsu, will write up (talk about the old vs. new guard, eh?). Manny Ramirez was a legitimate contender for much of the season, despite being barred from playing due to concealing steroid use. Boston shortstop Jed Lowrie finished in fifth place for his position despite playing only five games at the start of April. The Yanks utilized their new stadium and a lucky schedule (a home stand close to the All-Star break) to push Mark Teixeira ahead of Kevin Youkilis by 240,000 votes with the help of public laptops available to Yankee Stadium visitors. It’s just a shame that we did not witness antics reminiscent to the Giambino’s mustache.

All in all, fans cannot be trusted to make a decision that accurately reflects the talents in the American and National leagues, let alone the team that will have a great chance of being crowned world champions.

After another frustrating start from Joba Chamberlain, the Yankees hope to grab a part of first place with a win this afternoon. Brett Gardner gets another start, and the recently acquired Eric Hinske takes the place of Nick Swisher in right field. Andy Pettitte (8-4) looks to rebound after struggling once more against the Toronto Blue Jays at home (0-5 through eight starts). The Yankees will try to solve the Angels, with an 18-31 record against the club over the past five years.

1. Jeter, SS
2. Damon, LF
3. Teixeira, 1B
4. Rodriguez, 3B
5. Matsui, DH
6. Posada, C
7. Cano, 2B
8. Hinske, RF
9. Gardner, CF

Mike Scioscia will attempt to piece together another win with key players Vladimir Guerrero and Toii Hunter on the disabled list. After being knocked around of July 1st (5.1 IP, 8 H, 7 ER), Jered Weaver added his ninth win against the Rangers on the 6th, and will look to continue his impressive season today.
1. Figgins, DH
2. Aybar, SS
3. Abreu, RF
4. Napoli, C
5. Morales, 1B
6. Matthews Jr., CF
7. Kendrick, 2B
8. Wood, 3B
9. Quinlan, LF

Roundup

Winning pitcher: Jered Weaver (10-3) / 6 IP, 4 H, 4 R (3 ER), 2 BB, 9 K
Losing pitcher: Andy Pettitte (8-5) / 4.1 IP, 7 H, 6 R, 2 BB, 1 K

The Yankees were hurt by Pettitte’s failure to get deep into games, a recurring theme throughout the rotation recently. New York has numerous chances to get back into the lead, only to see their relievers allow Los Angeles to extend the lead. Eric Hinske and Alex Rodriguez hit two home runs apiece, amounting to three RBIs for both.

Live updates after the jump…
Top of first inning: After retiring Jeter, walking Johnny Damon, and inducing a pop out from a booed Mark Teixeira, Jered Weaver left a fastball right over the plate, which A-Rod promptly delivered over the left-field wall. Weaver strikes out Hideki Matsui to end the inning. 2-0 Yankees

Bottom of first inning: Pettitte walks the speedy Chone Figgins. Aybar then is robbed of a bloop single after Gardner makes a tremendous diving catch. He fires to first to nab Figgins, who was running on the play. Figgins is ruled safe by umpire Brian Gorman, but the Yankees argue, with television replays showing Figgins out by a half-step. Another ruling that bites the Yanks. Figgins promptly steals second base, and advances to third on as Bobby Abreu grounds out, but Pettitte escapes.

Top of second inning: Posada (K) and Cano (GO) are retired, before Hinske drills a homer on a breaking ball into the right field bleachers. Through one run of the lineup, 3-0 Yankees.

Bottom of second inning: An easy 1-2-3 inning for Pettitte.

Top of third inning: Jeter flies out, before Damon and and Teixeira strike out back-to-back.

Bottom of third inning: Brandon Wood is given a free pass to first, with walks developing as a problem for Pettitte this season. Wood is erased on a double play kicked off by a Quinlan grounder. Figgins flies out to end the inning.

Top of fourth inning: A-Rod draws a leadoff walk, and then is nearly picked off. Matsui is punched out for the second time. Rodriguez advances to second after 1B Morales botches a pickoff. After Posada flies out, Cano finally comes through, driving in Rodriguez from 2nd base with a single. Hinske ends inning. 4-0 Yankees

Bottom of fourth inning: After a leadoff double, Aybar is driven in by our good, former Yankee friend Bobby Abreu. Pettitte then records three outs in a row. 4-1 Yankees

Top of fifth inning: Gardner becomes victim to Weaver’s sixth strikeout. Jeter was close to shooting the Yanks’ third home run of the day, but settles for a double. 3B Wood nabs a bullet off of Damon’s bat to save a run. Weaver is getting his pitch count up there (nearing the century mark), and with it being a steamy day in Southern California, we may see some bullpen action soon. Weaver Ks Teixeira for #7.

Bottom of fifth inning: Kendrick shoots a high pitch up the middle to start things off. The Angels narrow the deficit to one run after Brandon Wood drives a homer to right: 4-3 Yankees.
Quinlan scoots a single before Hinske, as Dave Robertson begins to throw in the ‘pen. Chone Figgins grounds to Jeter, who feeds to Cano, who throws to Teixeira, but not before Figgins escapes a double play. Aybar gets a hit to right, allowing Figgins to reach 3rd base.
Abreu knocks in Figgins with the single, and Aybar reaches third: tied at 4.
And that will be it for Pettitte, who struggled for the second consecutive start. Dave Robertson enters, only to given up a two-run double to Mike Napoli: 6-4 Angels. Robertson has struggled all year with inherited runners, with this being one of the first days in which Joe Girardi has utilized his services in a close game. Morales grounds out to 2B, allowing Napoli to advance. Matthews Jr. walks, to put runners at the corners. As Howie Kendrick comes up, the Angels will have batted around. Matthews nabs second without a throw.
Kendrick singles up the middle to drive in Napoli and Matthews. 8-4 Angels. For the second consecutive day, the Yankees have fallen victim to a Los Angeles comeback. Posada guns out Kendrick attempting a steal.

Top of sixth inning: Weaver strikes out A-Rod on his 101st pitch, for his eight K of the day, and then Matsui for #9 (third on Matsui). After falling behind 0-2, Posada works it to a full count before lining out to right.

Bottom of sixth inning: With Robertson staying in for New York, Wood is struck out on a breaking ball. Reggie Willits, who replaced LF Quinlan, swings for strike three on a bouncing ball far from home plate, but reaches 1B regardless as Posada fails to gather the wild pitch. Robertson strikes out Figgins, while Willits steals second. Aybar triples on a ball driven into the left field gap, scoring Willits: 9-4 Angels. Robertson is replaced by Brett Tomko. Abreu flies out to deep center field.

Top of seventh inning: Darren Oliver replaces Jered Weaver. Cano singles on a slicing drive to CF Matthews. Eric Hinske rips his second homer of the game to right. Hinske is now 4-for-8 with three home runs as a Bronx Bomber: 9-6 Angels.
Melky Cabrera pinch hits for Gardner, which I find a bit interesting, and strikes out. Jeter grounds out to first. Damon is struck out to end the inning.

Bottom of seventh inning: Mike Napoli drives a high pitch from Tomko into the left field stands. Tomko seemed to be missing his spots that whole at-bat and eventually paid for it: 10-6 Angels.
Morales grounds out to Teixeira for the first out. Gary Matthews Jr. lines a ball to Hinske for a single. Kendrick then singles to center. A double play strands the runners.

Top of eight inning: After Tex is retired, A-Rod hits a shot into right field for his second homer of the game. 10-7 Angels
Make it back-to-back. Matsui hits a HR near the same spot as Rodriguez. 10-8 Angels
Posada strikes out for the second time (0-4 on the afternoon). Cano draws a walk, and Scioscia has seen enough of pitcher Bulger. Kevin Jepsen is called in. Hinske misses a base knock by a few feet, lining out to second.

Bottom of eight inning: Phil Coke enters. Willits lines a seeing-eye single just past a lunging Jeter. Willits advances to second after Coke throws away a pickoff. Then, Coke throws a pitch into the dirt for a strikeout. Willits goes to third, and Figgins goes to first. The last thing any team attempting to overcome a deficit is are mental mistakes like these. Aybar flies out to Jeter, who nearly misplays another pop out. Abreu hits a sacrifice fly to center, easily scoring Willits. 11-8 Angels
Figgins steals second base just under Cano’s tag, though TV replays showed him out by roughly a half foot. Yankees intentionally walk Napoli, though it backfires as Morales doubles into the left field corner, scoring Figgins. 12-8 Angels
Gary Matthews Jr. drives in Napoli and Morales on a single. 14-8 Angels
A ground out to third ends the inning.

Top of ninth inning: Potential last licks for the Yanks. Melky Cabrera singles to starts things off, before being eliminated after Jeter was induced into grounding into a double play. Damon strikes out to end the game.